Typewriting machine



Feb. 8, 1938. E. M. R BORG TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed April 19, 1935 'NVENTOR:

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LSt -i UNITED s'mrs TYPEWRITING MACHINE Ernest M. R. Borg, Hartford, Conn, assignor to Underwood Elliott Fisher Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application April 19, 1935, Serial No. 17,169

12 Claims. (Cl. 197-81) This invention relates to typewriter-case-shift shown at 29, Figure 1, the shift-rail engaging a mechanism, and aims to provide improved means roller H of the platen-frame. Ears 11, extendfor easily adjusting and quietly arresting the ing laterally from the sides of the platen-frame, case-shifts, and which means will be simple so may co-operate with the novel means to be deas to conduce to economical manufacturing and scribed. presently, to determine the lower-case po- 5 once servicing, and be efficient and durable in. use. sition of the platen-frame, and may abut the The improved means comprise a simple strip carriage-frame at Il bent into elongately U-shaped form, which may The carriage moves for letter-feeding at actube tempered, and mounted so that the resilient ation of the usual type-bars represented at 23, 1O extremities thereof project from a support and and having upper and lower case types 23 Figare disposed between opposite stops for quiet ure 1. case-shift-arresting engagement with the latter. The improved means for regulating the range For adjustment relative to said resilient exof case-shift movement of the platen-frame l4 tremities, said stops are screw-studs and are reand for arresting said movement quietly will tained in novel sockets arranged to permit ready now be described. 15 loosening and tightening of said stopstuds in Each platen-frame side-member 25 presents a connection with their adjustment, and to hold pair of adjustable case-shift stop-screws 26 havthe studs securely to prevent derangement of the ing heads 2'! forming the opposite stop-faces. adjustment. The support or seating of said Said stop-screws 26 are retained in novel sockets U-shaped resilient member may be made at an arranged so that each screw may be easily freed 2O incline, so that forward or rearward shift of said in its socket preparatory toits adjustment, and member will effect its bodily adjustment up or as easily secured after the adjustment. For this down, thereby to provide for adjustment of the purpose, strips or tongues 28 extend, from the case-shift zone independently of adjustment of platen-frame side-members 25, and are reflexly said stop-studs. bent to form loops or split sockets 29 which may These devices may be at the front of sidebe threaded for receiving the stop-screws 26. members of a platen-shifting frame, such as the The socket-forming tongue 28 affords an end- Underwood. portion 30 against which a headed clamp-screw Other features and advantages will hereinmay be drawn to contract the loop or socket 30 after appear. 29, and. thereby securely hold the stop-screw 3O In the accompanying drawing, 26. Upon loosening said clamp-screw 3|, the

Figure 1 is a section side View of the carriagesocket 29 will expand by its resiliency, for freemechanism including the improved case-shifting the stop-screw 25 preparatory to its adjustarresting means. ment. The opposite socket-forming tongues 28 35 Figure 2 is a perspective view of the typefor each platen-frame side-member 25 are pref- 35 writer-carriage and the present improvements. erably part of a separate U-shaped sheet-metal Figure 3 is a perspective view of parts of the piece 32 fastened, after forming of the sockets, to case-shift stop-devices at the front of the platenthe platen-frame side-member 25, as by rivets frame. 33. It will be noted that said clamp-screws 3| 40 Figure 4 is a fragmentary partly sectioned top are easily accessible, that loosening or tightening 40 plan view, showing details of the novel case-shift the same does not itself disturb, and thereby fastop-device assembly. cilitates, the adjustment of the stop-screws 26,

In the Underwood machine a carriage-frame and that the adjustment of the latter is securely H runs upon a rear track l2 and a front track. maintained against accidental derangement in- A platen I3 is journaled in a frame l4, supported asmuch as the stop-screws 26 cannot accidentally 45 in said carriage-frame H, for case-shifting become loosened. movements, by means of side-arms l5 that are Novel abutments on the carriage-frame I I for fastened to a cross-shaft iii to work in unison engaging the platen-frame stops 2'! are arranged about pivot-studs lfi retained in said carriageto muffle the noise of impact, and, for this purframe H. Said side-arms l5 support the platenpose, are formed by tabs 35, which, for sound- 5 frame I at gudgeons l8 of the latter, and sidemufiling resiliency, extend beyond supporting links l9, connected to the carriage-frame ll, 00- means on the carriage-frame. In order to faoperate with said side-arms IE to guide the cilitate the mounting and conduce to the soundplaten-frame case-shift movements. The usual muiiiing action of said tabs 35, there is preferkey-controlled case-shift rail and its frame are ably an individual tab for each stop 21, and the 55 tabs 35 for each pair of stops 2'l'are spaced and are moreover unified by forming them as the extremities of a resilient elongately U-shaped single abutment-element 36 shown by itself in Figure 3.

Said abutment-element 36 may be inexpensively made of a strip of spring steel. The flat extremities or tabs 35 of said abutment-element 36 may face the platen-frame stops 2! squarely,

while, by means of bends at 31, Figure 3, the body-portion of said abutment-element may be inclined to correspond with an inclined, preferably single, groove 38, in the carriage-frame H, in which the abutment-element is'seated. Adjustment of said abutment-element 36 along said inclined groove 38 will effect up or down adjustment of both its tabs 35, to regulate the caseshift zone independently of the platen-frame stop-screws 26, or, in other words, without individually adjusting the latter.

A pad or block 49, separately shown in Figure 3, may be disposed, as shown at Figures 1 and 2, between the spaced legs of the abutment-element 36 to support the latter against undue flexing when the projecting tabs 35 are engaged by the platen-frame stops 21. A screw 4|, and a clampplate 42 which may engage both legs of the ,abutment-element 36, co-operate to secure the latter in its adjusted position in the groove 38, said screw 41 passing throughsaid plate 42 and through the block 40 and being entered into a hole 43, Figure 3, of the carriage-frame l I. The clamp-plate 42 may have flanges 44 to' engage the sides of the abutment-element 35 to prevent turning of said clamp-plate.

Adjustment of either main carriage-stop, which is divided into two abutments 35, may be eifected independently of the upper and lower individual'platen-frame stops 21, so that if the mechanic, after once adjusting said individual stops: 21, should find that the types are erroneously striking the platen at a level or zone which is a little too high or a little too low at either end of the platen, he can correct the fault by adjusting either one or the other of the main stops 35. For effecting this main stop adjustment, he does not need to disturb the 'pre-adjustment of any of the four individual stops 26,

but he simply loosens the fastening screw M, then slides the main stop or loop diagonally along the inclined groove or slot portion 38 in the carriage, while keeping the abutments 35 level, until the two abutments 35 are raised or lowered to the exact point necessary, whereupon he can .refasten the screw 51, and clamp the Washer 42, the filler-block 4D, and the main abutment-loop 36, to the grooved portion 38 of the carriage ll. Thus the platen is brought into exact type-face alignment by readjusting one or both of. the main abutments, and without disturbing the setting of the stops 21, so'that none of saidlindividual stops has to be reset.

The stops 2'! are in the form of screws which are carried by jaws 32, one on each end 25 of the platen-frame; the screws being secured fully adjustable by fastening screws 3 I. r

The invention is not limited to yielding main abutments 3.5, 36, but preferably each is made in l the form of a loop to give the tabs 35 thereof a yielding quality for securing quietness, as exabutment-element 36. The depth of said groove 38 may be shallow relatively to the width, face- Wise, of the abutment-element, as indicated, inasmuch as the spread of the legs of the abutment-element upon the seat of the groove and the union of said legs at 45 provide for stable support of the abutment-element, it being understood that, for noise-deadening resiliency, the tabs 35 project, substantially as shown, beyond the support afforded by the groove 33, block 40, clamping screw 4! and plate 42.

The stop-screws 26 may have screw-driver slots 45. It will be seen that the frictional embrace of the split sockets 29, easily tightened by the clamp-screws 3!, effectively guards against the liability of said stop-screws 26 accidentally working loose. 26, after being turned to their proper adjustment, be deranged by'tightening the embrace of the sockets 23 by means of the clamp-screws 31, it being understood that said embrace may be eased by means of said clamp-screws 3! to permit the turning or adjustment of the stopscrews 26, and that, for-facilitating the adjustment, there may'remain suiiicienttightness of the embrace to prevent all end play of the stopscrews in the sockets.

The clamp-screws are shown threaded into the platen-frame side-member 25, as indicated at, ll, Figure 4, and it will be understood that the,

tongue-portion 30 of the socket has a clearance hole for the body of the clamp-screw 3|. The

split sockets 29 can be inexpensively produced since they are formed from the sheet-metal strips combination, a case-shiftable frame, a pair of opposite case-shift stops for limiting the caseshifting of said frame, an abutment-element formed by a strip bent iacewise in elongately U-shaped form, and a support having a groove,

Nor can the stop-screws inclined to said stops, for retaining said abutment-element in inclined transverse relation of its two legs to and between said oppositestops,

the extremity of each leg extending beyond said groove to coact facewise resiliently and quietly,

with one of said stops, said opposite stops being adjustable relatively to one another to determine the extent of the zone of case-shift movement, and the abutment-element .being independently adjustable, by a shift along said in-' clined groove, for adjusting said zone relatively to the printing-line of said types.

2. In a typewriter including a platen and a set of type carriers, each type-carrier having a plurality of types; a stop-device for quietly arresting the opposite relative case-shift move ments of said platen and" set of type-carriers, said stop-device including two pairs of opposite individually adjustable stops, and, for soundmufiled engagement with said individual stops, a

pair of resilient U-shaped abutment-elements,

each presenting two spaced abutment-tabs, one for each individual stop, and inclined supporting means arranged to retain each of said abutmentelements, said abutment-tabs projecting beyond the supporting means and transversely of and between said opposite individual stops, to coact quietly with the latter, each abutment being ad-.

justable bodily along its said inclined support,

to vary the zone at which the types strike the platen, without disturbing the adjustment of any of said individual stops.

3. In typewriter-carriage mechanism, the combination with a platen, a carriage-frame, and a platen-frame supported by the carriage-frame for opposite case-shift movements relative to upper and lower case types, of a stop-device for quietly arresting said case-shift movements, said stop-device including two individual stops on each end of the platen-frame, and, for sound- Inuflled engagement with each said two stops, a single U-shaped resilient abutment-element presenting two spaced parallel legs having bends so as to terminate in parallel abutment-tabs inclined to the legs, one tab for each stop, and an inclined grooved or slotted support for said legs along which said abutment-element is adjustable to vary the point at which the types strike the platen, said tabs projecting beyond said support and transversely of and between said opposite individual stops, to coact quietly with the latter, said grooved support being incorporated with said carriage-frame.

4. In a typewriter arranged for quiet operation, said typewriter including a platen and a set of type-carriers, each type-carrier having a plurality of types; a stop-device for quietly arresting the opposite relative case-shift movements of said platen and set of type-carriers, said stop-device including two pairs of opposite individual stops, and, for sound-muffled engagement with said individual stops, resilient abutment-elements, each presenting two spaced parallel legs terminating in parallel abutmenttabs, one for each individual stop, each tab being inclined to its leg, and inclined supporting means arranged to receive said legs to retain said abutment-elements,so that saidabutment-tabs extend beyond the supporting means and transversely of and between said opposite stops, to coact quietly with the latter, each of said abutmentelements being adjustable independently along said inclined supports for the purpose specified.

5. In a typewriter including a platen and a set of type-carriers, each type-carrier having a plurality of types; a stop-device for quietly arresting the opposite relative case-shift movements of said platen and set of type-carriers, said stop-device including two pairs of opposite individual stops, and, for sound-muffled engagement with said two stops, resilient abutment-elements, each presenting a supportable formation terminating in two spaced parallel abutmentsurfaces, one for each individual stop, said abutment-surfaces being inclined to said formation, and inclined supporting means arranged to receive said formation to retain said abutmentelements, so that said abutment-surfaces extend beyond the supporting means and transversely of and between opposite individual stops, to coact quietly with the latter, the abutment-elements being independently adjustable along said inclined supports, and the faces of the stops and the faces of the abutment-surfaces being parallel at all adjustments.

6. In a typewriter including a revoluble platen and a set of type-carriers, each type-carrier having upper and lower case types; an adjustable stop-device for quietly arresting the opposite relative case-shift movements of said platen and set of type-carriers, said stop-device including two pairs of opposite stops, and adjustable abutment-elements, each having two spaced resilient abutment-surfaces, one for each individual stop,

and supporting means upon which the abutmentelements are adjustable, said abutment-surfaces extending beyond the supporting means and transversely of and between opposite individual stops, to coact with the latter, each of said abutment-elements being adjustable as a unit to adjust its two abutment-surfaces simultaneously and equally in either direction of case shift, thereby to determine the position of the printing line on the platen for both the upper and lower case types. y

7. In a case-shifting stop-mechanism for a typewriting machine, the combination with a carriage, a platen, and a shiftable platen-frame, of a horizontal main abutment or stop mounted upon an inclined mount at each end of the car riage, either main stop being adjustable independently along its inclined mount to raise or lower the main abutment and platen at either end, and a pair of individual stops mounted on each end of the platen-frame, for individual up and down independent adjustment, for co-operation with said main abutments to arrest the platen-frame; whereby, after the platen-frame stops have been individually adjusted, any desired bodily readjustment of the platen-frame and platen at either end may be secured, without disturbing any individual platen-stop adjustment, by a lifting or lowering readjustment of one or both of the main abutments along their inclined mounts, the previous individual adjustment of each upper and lower platen-frame stop being maintained, notwithstanding the readjustment of the abutments.

8. In a case-shifting stop-mechanism for a typewriting machine, the combination with a carriage, a platen, and a shiftable platen-frame, of a horizontal main abutment or stop mounted upon an inclined mount at each end of the carriage, either main stop being adjustable independently along its inclined mount to raise or lower the main abutment and platen at either end, a pair of individual stops mounted on each end of the platen-frame, for individual up and down independent adjustment, for co-operation with said main abutments to arrest the platenframe; whereby, after the platen-frame stops have been individually adjusted, any desired bodily readjustment of the platen-frame and platen at either end may be secured, Without disturbing any individual platen-stop adjustment, each of said abutments being in the form of resilient horizontal ends of an inclined loop, and each of said mounts being arranged to present a pair of inclined slots on said carriage in which the loop may slide, and means for fastening each loop where adjusted.

9. In a case-shifting stop-mechanism for a typewriting machine, the combination with a carriage, a platen, and a shiftable platen-frame, of a horizontal main abutment or stop mounted upon an inclined mount at each end of the carriage, either main stop being adjustable independently along its inclined mount to raise or lower the main abutment and platen at either end, a pair of individual stops mounted on each end of the platen-frame, for individual up and down independent adjustment, for co-operation with said main abutments to arrest the platenframe; whereby, after the platen-frame steps have been individually adjusted, any desired bodily readjustment of the platen-frame and platen at either end may be secured, without disturbing any individual platen-stop adjustment, each of said abutments being in the form of resilient horizontal ends of an inclined loop, and each of said mounts presenting a loop-embracing inclined slot on said carriage inwhich the loop may 'slide, and means for fastening each loop where adjusted, a filler-block being inserted in in which the individual platen-frame stops are in the form of two pairs of upper and lower screws, and pairs of jaws are fastened to the platen-frame ends, each pair of jaws to receive a pair of said screws, said jaws being provided with means for securing the screws where individually adjusted.

12. In a typewriter, the combination with a frame shiftable for effecting relative case-shift movements of a platen and upper and lower case types, of a, universally adjustable case-shift stop mechanism for said frame including a pair of stops, at counter-stop device for coacting with said stops according to the case shifts of said frame, means for relatively adjusting Said stops and counter-stop device to determine the extent of case-shift movement, and means separatefrom said adjusting means for relatively adjusting said stops and counter-stop deviceowithout affecting the adjustment for the extent of case-shift movement, whereby the positions of the platen relative tothe printing line for both upper and lower case types may be trued independently of V movement.

ERNEST M. R. BORG. 

